AD announcement targeted for May

GREENVILLE, NC   (Apr. 30, 2004)   —   ECU Chancellor-elect Steve Ballard said today (April 30) that he will delay the appointment of a new athletics director until mid-May to give him more time to review candidates and to become familiar with the department.

“While I know that we are all anxious to reach a decision, it is more important to keep our eye on the target and make the decision that will have the best long-term impact,” Ballard said in a memo to members of the search committee. “I intend to make a decision no later than May 19.”

Ballard, who officially takes office as chancellor on June 1, had said earlier that he hoped to announce an AD appointment by the end of April.

He has met with three finalists identified by the search committee and said he also is reviewing the credentials of other applicants who passed the initial screening by the committee.

In addition, he is studying a number of internal documents and reports including the self-study prepared by the university for the recent re-certification of its athletics programs by the NCAA.

The new AD will succeed Mike Hamrick, who left ECU last fall to take a similar position at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Nick Floyd is serving as interim athletics director.